Means for forming pleats



A. MOD. HEss MEANS FOR FORMING PLEMTSh Filed Dec. 8, 1945 (E, SZHI- April l0, 1951 IN VEN TOR. @um m2, /elm Patented Apr. 10, 14951 MEANS FOR 'FORMINlG PLEATS Alexander McD. Hess, New York, N. Y.- Application December 8, 1945, Serial No. 633,640

1 This invention relates to headings for curtains, drapes or other fabrics whereby pleats may be readily formed.

The main object of the invention is to provide a structure whereby the pleating of a fabric is readily and simply accomplished.

1 claim. (C1. 16o-'348) A further object of the invention is to provide improved structures of pleated fabrics whereby the pleating may be readily accomplished by the housewife or others.

A further object of the invention is to providey an improved construction of strips or loops whereby the curtain or drape may be suspended by a rod or pole. if

Other and ancillary objects of the invention will appearhereinafter.

In the accompanying drawings which illustrate the invention:

The tape I3 with its snap fastening members is inserted'beneath these Vstraps and secured t-o the drape yin such position that the fastening members I4 are located approximately midway between adjacent straps. To pleat the curtain or other fabric, the adjacent male and female fastening members are secured together when the buckram strip or tape and the fabric or drape will be pleated with a strap adjacent the ridges of each pleat at the back of the drape, the last mentioned strap forming means beneath which the curtain rod or pole vmay be inserted to support the structure in `the case of a curtain as shown in Fig. 3.

In Figs. 4 and 5 a tape 200i buckram or other suitable material'having the equally spaced elon- Fig. 1 is a front elevation, partly. broken away, y

of an improved arrangement of pleating tape and supporting straps for` a curtain; Fig. 2 is an end elevation of the apparatus of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a partial section on the line III-III of Fig. 1, but with the parts inpleated position; Fig. 4 is a vface view, partly broken away of another form of pleating tape; Fig. 5 is a top plan view, partlyv broken away, of the pleating tape as shown in Fig. 4 adjusted to a pleating position and show- 'ing the relation of a supporting rod or'polethereto; Fig. 6 is a front elevational view, partly broken away, showing a modified form of pleating heading applied to a drape; Fig. 7 is a section `on the line VII-VII of Fig. 6; Fig. 8 is a perspective view showing pleats formed in the drape having the head as shown in Fig. 6; Fig. 9 is a transverse section of a strip 30 showing the application of a covering material thereto; Fig. lOlisa frontface View, partly broken away, ofNaV-srtill further form of pleating heading appliedto'a drape; Fig. 11 is a section on the line of Fig. 1 ,0 and Fig. 12 is a perspective View showing the formation of the pleats with the pleating heading as shown in Fig. 10.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings, tape I3 of buckram having equally spaced metal snap fastening membersV I4, these members be# ing alternately male and female, is provided. Upon the drape I5, such as a curtain, is sewed or looped cord I6, this looped cord being sewed to the drape along the line I1 and also 'along the line I8, the sewing along the line i1 and4 that along the line I8 respectively may be continuous or may be discontinuous as shown, the looped portion I9 between the two lines I1 and I8 form in eiect straps which are secured at their ends to the drape I5.

gated slots 2I may be sewed at its edges 22 and 23 to a drape or fabric such as I5 of Fig. 1. In the case of the structure of Figs. 4 andf5, the portions'24 between the slots form strips at the kback-of the curtain or other drape, andwhen adjacent'straps 24' aretwisted together as shown in Fig. 5 the tape Zliispuckered or pleated and forms `a corresponding pucker or pleat in the drape-25. The. straps'may be held in twisted condition by inserting between them-the sup*- porting rod or pole 26 as indicated in Fig. 5.

VReferring to Figs. 6, 7 and 8, there is therein shown a drapery` or curtain heading comprising a series of vertical straps 30 oi buckram or other suitably stiflened cloth.L These straps have gaps or spaces 3I between them and are secured together so as to form a tape by being sewed to the strips 32 and 33 along the seam lines 34 and 35. 'Ihese strips 32 and 33 may be of the same material as the straps 30.

The tape formed of the straps 30 secured to the strips 32 and 33 as described, may be secured to the upper edge of a curtain or drape 36 by sewing the strips 32 and 33 to the drape 36, along the seam lines 31 and 38.

Wherever a pleat or a series of pleats is desired a stray 30, and with it the drape to which it is secured, is bent or creased into one or more pleats 39. This brings into proximity the adjacent straps 30 on each side of the creased or pleated straps, as shown in Fig. 8, and the strips are supported by inserting a curtain rod 40 beneath the uncreased or unpleated straps 30.

While it is usually desirable to have the tape. comprising the straps 3l] secured to the strips 32 and 33 independently of the curtain or drape, so that the tape may be made up separately and applied to any drape or curtain as desired, it maybe that the strips and straps of the tape may be secured together at the same time that they are s secured to the curtain or drape by having the seams which secure the straps and strips together also secure the tape to the curtain or drape. The two seams whereby the preformed tape is secured to the curtain or drape may then be omitted. Y

The comparatively stii material, such as buckram, of which the straps 30 are made, are not usually of a pleasing appearance and they may consequently be covered with a more sightly or desirable material, as soft woolen or cotton cloth, silk or any desired material. Fig. 9 shows one of the straps 30 covered with a covering 4..of any..

such desirable covering material and the other portions of buckram may be covered in a similarl manner. 4 Referring now to Figs. 10 and 12 inclusive,

there is therein shown a heading for a curtain or drapery comprising a tape formed of a ribbon or Strip 42 Aof bnckram and a cord or twine 43 of zigzag form and secured to the ribbon of buckram by sewing thereto along the lines 44 and 45. It will be observed that these seams pass through the longitudinal sections of the cord and secure the cord to the buckram ribbon or strip, but that between the seams 44 and 45 the sections of the cord are freev of the buckram ribbon so that they may form means for holding the pleats and for suspending the curtain or drape upon a pole as will be hereinafter referred to. I

The tape. comprising the buckram ribbon 4 2 .and the cord 43 secured thereto as described, may be secured at the top of a curtain or drape 46 by means of sewed seams 4l' and :48 passing through the buckram ribbon 42 and the curtain or drape 45. In order to form the pleats (see Fig. 12) the buckram ribbon is bent outwardly about one of the transverse sections of the cord 43, for in- -stance the section 49, and then bent inwardly again about the transverse cord section U to form the pleat 5I as shown in Fig. 12. Other pleats, as for instance the pleat 52, may be formed in a similar manner. In the formation of the pleats 5l, the transverse cord sections or strips are brought adjacent to each other and one of the cord sections as 50 is passed through the loop of the other as 49, and through a loop corresponding to the strap 50 at each of the pleats, a curtain pole or rod may be inserted.

With the arrangement of pole, straps or loops, one threaded within the other as described, the pleats are prevented from spreading and at the same time the provision is made for the reception of a supporting pole.

As described above, the tape comprising the ribbon 42and the cord 43 may be made up separately and then applied to a-curt'ain or drape. It may be, however, that the cord, ribbon and drape may be simultaneously secured together -vby placing theA cord, buckram ribbon and curtain in proper relative positions and then securing 'themlall together by sewed seams 44 and 45.

. This will enable the. seams 41 and 48 to be dispensed'with.

While i.the invention has been illustrated in what are considered itsbest applications, it may have other .embodiments Without departing from its. spirit and isnot, therefore, limited to the structures shown in the drawings. l

What I claim is:

The combination with .a drape, of a ribbon extending along said drape, a zigzag cord superposed upon said ribbon, portions of said cord dislis protruded through the other.

ALEXANDER MGD. Hess.:

REFERENCES eITD The following referencesare of -record in the leof this patent;

, NITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,892,448 Chapman Dec. 2'?, 1932 1,934,452

Siegel Nov. 7, 1933 

